-The Hindu Powerful lobbies with vested interests see agroecology as a threat to their influence on farming systems Agroecology is recognised worldwide as a system that enhances fertile landscapes, increases yields, restores soil health and biodiversity, promotes climate resilience and improves farmers’ well-being. Its practices are supported by many agricultural scientists, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, farmers’ groups and several NGOs. It is therefore surprising that...

-The Hindu Business Line The government must simplify and rationalise GST, kickstart rural consumption, revive agriculture and tackle the lack of credit for capital creation, says former PM Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, an eminent economist himself, feels that the Narendra Modi-led government needs to come out of its habit of headline management and address the economic challenges which the country is facing today. “We cannot afford to deny that India is facing...

-The Hindu Business Line Lowering the exchange rate to boost exports, a grant-based stimulus for auto sector and reviving stalled power projects will help The slowdown in the Indian economy is far steeper than what most observers had expected. The government has announced a set of measures for revival. It has also indicated that more are in the pipeline. For this to have become necessary within weeks of the presentation of the...

-The Hindu Local governments remain hamstrung and ineffective — mere agents to do the bidding of higher level governments Democratic decentralisation is barely alive in India. Over 25 years after the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments (they mandated the establishment of panchayats and municipalities as elected local governments) devolved a range of powers and responsibilities and made them accountable to the people for their implementation, very little and actual progress has been...

-The Hindu “Orders have been issued to five public institutions including IIT-Madras, IIT-Kharagpur, DU and University of Hyderabad, declaring them as IoEs,” Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said. New Delhi: The Human Resource Development Ministry has awarded the status of Institute of Eminence to the IIT-Madras, the IIT-Kharagpur, Delhi University, Benares Hindu University and the University of Hyderabad, said an official statement. Four private universities — the Vellore Institute of Technology, Amrita...